Questions about Ferrets.

[Ritz459]

Ok, after seeing all of these cute little rodent faces on here, my wish for a Ferret has been reborn. lol But I have TONS of questions about them before I even try to convince mom that they are cool. (My dad could care less. He is all for it, but my mom on the other hand......uh-uh.) So here are the questions (beware. There are lots!):

How long do they live?
What are their health problems?
I know that they have a musky oder to them. How bad does it smell? Is it hard to get rid of? (i.e. Would an air freshner take care of the problem?)
Do they shed a lot?
How easily are they trained?
Can they be taught to do tricks and such?
What is their activity level?
How long can they be left alone?
Are the sociable? (I'm asumming they are, but I just want to make sure.)
What size of cage do they need?
What kind of litter is best for them?
What kind of toys do they need/like?
Do they get along well with other animals?

Ok, I think that is about all of the questions. If anybody has anything they want to add about Ferrets, be my guest. Basicly, I'm looking for a small rodent type creature that is sociable, trainable, small, and can walk on a leash so I can take it places with me! lol
I was wanting a new dog (and I still am) but unless a purebred Basset Hound comes into the shelter near us, I probalby won't be getting one.
So any info on Ferrets (particuraly from real experiences) or any info on a small, sociable, trainable, loves-to-go-places rodent is more than welcome! (Just no rats. I like 'em, but my mom would kill me if I had one of those. Not to mention the cat would try to eat it.) Anyways, thanks for tolorating all of the questions!! lol

[dollface]

How long do they live? Well that depends, I have heard of some living till they are 8 - 13.

What are their health problems? I heard about cancer being one, but I have never had that problem, nock on wood. They do need shots but make sure your vet is familiar with ferrets.

I know that they have a musky oder to them. How bad does it smell? Is it hard to get rid of? (i.e. Would an air freshner take care of the problem?)
Do they shed a lot? I personally do not mind the musky odour, and well not sure if an air freshner would work. They tend to smell more when they get wet lol ... If you can not stand or do not like the odour I would suggest in not getting a ferret. You do want one that has been fixed because they do make nicer pets, adopting one is nice too, mine both are rescues and live in my son's room in a 3 level cage. Yes they do shed, I think twice a year.

How easily are they trained? That depends on your level of patience. Our 2 use a litter box in the cage and they have one in the corner in the room that they use when running around. They like to pick a corner they want to use so sometimes more then 2 litter boxes are needed...Not sure exactly what you mean by trained?

Can they be taught to do tricks and such? Yes to a point

What is their activity level? they need at least 2 hours of running time out of their cage a day. The cage should also be fairly big for them to move around, have a litter box, toys, food area and bed area.

How long can they be left alone? ours are left alone all day but they also have each other and some toys.

Are the sociable? (I'm asumming they are, but I just want to make sure.) yes I find they are.

What size of cage do they need? I have a 3 level cage for ours.

What kind of litter is best for them? I use yesterdays news cat litter, I find this to be the best. Clumping cat litter is way to dusty and can get into their eye's, nose and mouth and can also irritate their bum.

What kind of toys do they need/like? Some cat toys, dog toys but must be sturdy. Paper bags, toilet paper rolls. They like noisy scrunchy things.

Do they get along well with other animals? Depends how they are introduced. I have 3 dogs that play nice with them Taz, Tiva and Dozer, the other 2 dogs I would not trust.

Mercia Ferrets would be a good place to ask alot of ferret questions, the people on their are great. I have not been on there in ages, but they are really nice and should help you make up your mind...... A good ferret book... The Essential Ferret....Consulting Editor : Betsy Sikora Siino ..... I have found this book to be very good... A high quality kitten food is also good, or a really good ferret food. Mercia ferrets will let you know what ferret food is best. I have heard Totally ferret is really good, I feed Nutro Kitten as well as Iams/Euk kitten I mix them together.

Ferrets can catch our colds/flues and give them back to us, but they have them much longer and are harder for them to get rid of. If you are sick always wash before you hold your ferret and limit cuddle time cause you do not want your ferret to get sick.... Shots are a must before they go out doors, but I don't think they are the same shots as dogs get.

LOL I was going to mention a rat since we have 2 of them and my daughter takes them for walks, well actually they ride on her shoulder lol

good luck

[Jessiecfdecc]

Hey Ritz- I have had a LOT of ferrets, so I really do know what I am talking about. Tell your mom that ferrets actually are not related to rats at all- tell her they are related to otters and mink and show her a picture of the cutest otter you can find, along with a young Butterscotch-colored ferret (they are super-cute).
I have had the fewest troubles with Marshall ferrets. They are a breeder in upstate New York. Don't pay attention to bad things about them on the net; they're great.

How long do they live? About 7 years, but 13 is not unheard of.
What are their health problems? Well, all of the Marshall ferrets are spayed/neutered and descented, and that cuts down on some types of cancer, and it really mellows them out, without all those hormones.
Plus, the Marshall ferrets have a 1-year guarantee on their health in writing, and if you do have a problem, which is rare, in my experience, then Marshalls is always GREAT to deal with.

I know that they have a musky oder to them. How bad does it smell? Is it hard to get rid of? (i.e. Would an air freshner take care of the problem?) I wouldn't use an air freshener close to the ferret's cage. Instead, I would use this wonderful product called bi-odor, available at pet stores, that binds the odor internally. It works on the body odor (or what's left after they have been descented), as well as the waste odors. Definetly get it.
You can bathe them about every 2 weeks to 1 month using an all-natural soap. The problem with the synthetic scents is, the ferrets almost never like them, and are sometimes allergic.
Do they shed a lot? No. Much, much less than a dog or a cat. Just a little bit in the spring.

How easily are they trained? Can they be taught to do tricks and such? There is a great book called "Training Your Pet Ferret". It is the best, most accurate book I have seen about ferrets. It emphasises using a reward system to train your ferret. Get that, too.

What is their activity level? Very high, unless they are sleeping.

How long can they be left alone? Well Ritz, ferrets sleep about 20 hours a day while they are babies, and a good 14 a day after they are adults. The ferret would simply go to sleep while you were away at school or wherever, and then when you got back, it would be ready to play.

Are the sociable? (I'm asumming they are, but I just want to make sure.) Yes, they are VERY VERY VERY VERY sociable. They LOVE people.

What size of cage do they need? A 2-level 18"X30" cage is enough, if you let it out to play some.

What kind of litter is best for them? I use pelleted soy litter.

What kind of toys do they need/like? They love hard plastic balls with bells inside, but their favorite toy will always be YOU!

Do they get along well with other animals? A ferret will usually play with anything that will play with it. They generally become great friends with dogs and cats. Introduce them through the cage wire first, and watch the dog's reaction. Be cautious during the first meeting, and have the dog on a leash. NEVER INTRODUCE A FERRET TO HAMSTERS OR GERBILS OR ANY OTHER SMALL HERBIVORE, AS FERRETS ARE CARNIVORES.


Ferrets just love people. They do hide things sometimes, especially shiny things, but they usually put them all in one place, called their "Hidey Hole", so just check there first if you are missing something.
Hope this helps!
P.S. I have had more ferrets than anyone else I have ever even heard of, so you can be sure that all this info is tried and true.

[Ritz459]

Thanks for the info. I've told mom that Ferrets aren't related to rats but to Otters and Minks, but, they are also related to Weasels and she doesn't like Weasels. lol But ya, thanks for the info. I still really want one because I think they'd fit into our lives better than another dog would at the moment, and I like the small little rodent type creatures and I'm wanting to get another one.

[Purr]

Hey! Ferrets are fabulous! I have two currently. I learned about ferrets from a really terrific book, that maybe you and mom could read together(?). It's called Ferrets for Dummies, and it was written by a lady who runs a ferret shelter. When she wrote the book, she had around 23 fuzzies (favorite ferret nick-name). I don't know how many she's got now, but she's had ferrets for a very long time.

In her book, she goes over EVERYTHING. This book has never let me down. If you want a ferret, I would reccomend this book 110%.

I think for your first ferret, you'd be better off getting an older one, from a ferret rescue. Chances are, they already have some training, and the shelter staff wil be able to tell more about their personalities (their like dogs; all different) than if you got a baby from a pet store.

The person who reccomended Marshall's is right; I think (not sure) that's where my two girls came from. I got mine when they were older, second hand ferrets. They're not that hard to train; kind of like a stubborn dog. I would describe the ferret as a cross between a cat/monkey/ rat/etc./etc...(of course, their not related to rodents at all). Their actually related to the european pole cat (or so I've heard).

Ritz, are you in the U.S.? Some U.S. states don't allow ferrets, so if you're going to get one, check the state's regulations first.

I see the other posters have given you tons of info already, so I just wanted to tell you about the book, and throw in a few extra thoughts!! Good luck convincing your mom! (Try telling her their like extremely hyper cats; not rodents).

[Ritz459]

Yep, I live in Indiana. (In the good ol' USA.) But I'm pretty sure IN allows them because they have them in the Petstore. lol But, if I did get a Ferret, I would most likely get one from a rescue. There is a Ferret Rescue in IL that has a beautiful, 4yr old female Ferret named Silky. And she would be best as an only Ferret. I want her, but my Mom is still unwilling. lol
She wants me to play Basketball next year when I go into FACA (a Christian school where all of us kids are going next year. Currently we are homeschooled. [Except for Jacob, my older brother. He is already at FACA.]) I told her I'd only play Basketball if she let me get a Ferret or a small dog. lol She just rolled her eyes at me.
So I'm still working on Mom. lol But there may yet be hope! So, thanks for all of the info. I'll have to check that book out....

[dollface]

Alot of people cross ferrets with pole cats...

Me personally I don't agree with Marshal farms because they do alot of testing on them If it came down to recueing one be it from there or not I would, who know's my two could probably came from there, my soon to be 10 years old son looks after cause they are his ferrets, we have now had them I think 2 years. They were heading for the humane society and well we couldn't let that happen so we brought them into our family.

You could weigh the pro's and con's of owning a ferret to a dog, and also the price to keep one adding in shots, food, ferret cage/dog kennel, toys ect and show your mom that you did all your homework. Just remember the ferrets need at least 2 hrs of run time to pounce around and burn off energy and they do need their sleep or they get a lil grouchy, where a dog requires alot more attention and time spent with them. Ferrets are litter trained so mess kept to a couple of litter boxes, a dog requires yard clean up lol.

Wish you luck

My son's ferrets names are Weasel (male) and Emma or Emmers (female), they live right in his bedroom in their cage. He has a litter box in the cage and one outside the cage since ferrets like to pick a corner they want to mess in and thats where the litter box goes.

[Ritz459]

I have a quick question. What kind of vaccinations do Ferrets need? My mom wants to know. She thought they'd be like any other rodent and you just let them be. (Even though they aren't rodents )

[Purr]

Uh...their vaccines are like cats. They arent' rodents...so, they do need shots.

[dollface]

Just be careful who you go to, and I was told not to have them both given at once incase they have a reaction.

Ferrerts are susceptible to canine distemper (not feline distemper, as was once believed). It is reccomended that the ferrets recieve 2 canine distemper vaccinations 3 weeks apart and yearly boosters thereafter.

A kit recieves a canine distemper at 6 - 8 weeks, every 3 - 4 weeks afterwards until 14 weeks and then yearly boosters.

Here is a link that may be able to answer your questions alot better.

http://www.2ndchance.info/fervacs.htm

[Ritz459]

Ok, thanks. So they require Rabies and a Distemper shot?
Anyways, I might be getting a Ferret!!! As I said earlier, there is a Ferret rescue in IL about 2 hours away from us. I was looking at the Ferrets they had avalible and I saw these two cuties:

I showed them to Mom and she started grinning and I was like, "See! You do like them!" and then she said that she liked the one in the back. So yay! We're still not sure about it, but we might be getting them! (It might take us a while to decide, but hey!)

(P.S. I also like this gal:
)

[doberkim]

Originally Posted by dollface

Alot of people cross ferrets with pole cats...

Me personally I don't agree with Marshal farms because they do alot of testing on them If it came down to recueing one be it from there or not I would, who know's my two could probably came from there, my soon to be 10 years old son looks after cause they are his ferrets, we have now had them I think 2 years. They were heading for the humane society and well we couldn't let that happen so we brought them into our family.

i dont agree with marshalls because they are a major ferret mill. they produce produce produce - no care for health, etc. at least they spay/neuter.
we dont like it in dogs, why support a mill in ferrets or other animals?

[dollface]

doberkim
Quote:
i dont agree with marshalls because they are a major ferret mill. they produce produce produce - no care for health, etc. at least they spay/neuter.
we dont like it in dogs, why support a mill in ferrets or other anima

Ya I don't care for them either I believe I said that.. As for the two I have I have no idea where they came from. I did have one ferret awhile back (who I found out came from them -- I got her from a petstore) who ended up with cateracts at just 6 months and was going blind, then she ended up really sick meds were not working and instead of watching her suffer I had to make a very big descision, I still miss my Chester she was maybe just over a year, she was soooooooo adorable and just loved to be held and would sleep in my arms.... Just know who you are getting the lil fuzzies off of.

If you can and your mom will let you try and get two, they are very socialable animals and having them in pairs is great. This way they have eachother and are alot of fun to watch when they are playing.

[Ritz459]

Originally Posted by dollface

If you can and your mom will let you try and get two, they are very socialable animals and having them in pairs is great. This way they have eachother and are alot of fun to watch when they are playing.

Ya, I was going to ask about that. lol Since I'd be kinda busy with my homework and my other dogs, I was wondering if I got two ferrets, and I let them out of the cage to play while I was doing my homework or whenever I wasn't busy and was able to watch them, if that would be enough to satisfy them. (And then, on weekends and on breaks, I'd have LOTS more time to spend with them. And I'd also get up earlier in the mornings, if need be, to let them out and play with them a bit.)

[Purr]

Yes, definately get two; my ferret Gypsy is acting extremely depressed now that Largo's gone. She hasn't been alone in...years. I don't want to get her another ferret, though, because, I know her, and she'd beat him up (she's a feisty little girl). Ferrets are happiest with constant company; Gypsy will just have to settle for me, because, getting another ferret would not help her any. She bonded to Largo, and no other ferret can ever take her place. So, now Gypsy is getting most of my attention...sorry, I'm rambling; yes, get two.

Oh, and in response to the "ferret mill" comment, Marshall's isn't like a puppy mill. As far as I've heard, anyway. You don't get to be the world's number one breeder, selling guaranteed animals, by not caring for them properly, and not keeping them healthy. I'd only get a rescue ferret though; that's what Gypsy and Largo were.